Drake's defamation lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar's diss track dismissed by judge

Drake's defamation suit implicit Kendrick Lamar's diss way Not Like Us has been dismissed by a national judge.

Judge Jeannette A Vargas said Lamar's lyrics accusing Drake of being a paedophile were not defamatory due to the fact that they were "nonactionable opinion".

The Canadian rapper had sued Universal Music Group (UMG) - which releases some artists' euphony - and Lamar was not named successful the lawsuit.

In a written sentiment published connected Thursday, the justice described "the vitriolic warfare of words" that erupted successful outpouring 2024 arsenic "perhaps the astir infamous rap conflict successful the genre's history".

The feud led to 9 tracks backmost and distant betwixt the 2 hip-hop stars, with the insults escalating arsenic the tracks progressed, becoming "vicious, personal".

Other insults included footwear size, manner consciousness and cuckolding.

The conflict concluded with Lamar's Not Like Us, which the justice described arsenic "the metaphorical sidesplitting blow".

One of 2024's biggest songs, it won grounds of the twelvemonth and opus of the twelvemonth astatine the Grammys, achieved astir Apple Music streams worldwide, and helped marque the 2025 Super Bowl half-time amusement the most-watched ever.

However, the justice said a tenable listener could not person concluded that the way was conveying nonsubjective facts astir Drake.

She wrote: "Although the accusation that Plaintiff is simply a paedophile is surely a superior one, the broader discourse of a heated rap battle, with incendiary connection and violative accusations hurled by some participants, would not incline the tenable listener to judge that 'Not Like Us' imparts verifiable facts astir Plaintiff."

The justice said she considered the forum successful which the insults occurred and concluded that the mean listener does not deliberation a diss way "is the merchandise of a thoughtful oregon disinterested investigation, conveying to the nationalist fact-checked verifiable content".

She wrote Not Like Us was "replete with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language, each of which are indicia of opinion".

A tenable listener, she added, "would reason that Lamar is rapping hyperbolic vituperations".

The lawsuit, which was filed successful January, alleged that UMG intentionally published and promoted the way contempt knowing that it contained mendacious and defamatory paedophilia allegations against Drake and suggested listeners should edifice to vigilante justice.

The song's screen creation included an aerial representation of Drake's Toronto mansion, which helium said led to attempted break-ins and the shooting of a information guard.

The suit besides alleged the way tarnished Drake's estimation and decreased the worth of his brand.

UMG had denied the allegations, calling the suit "an affront to each artists and their originative expression" and 1 which it said "never should person seen the airy of day".

It said it was "pleased with the court's dismissal" and looked guardant to continuing its enactment with Drake successful the future.

Drake is yet to comment.